Talk:Hypnotherapy/Archive 1

Personal Links
Hi, I'm not terribly familiar with the Wiki systems but have always been led to understand that personal advertising is not permitted. I've worked on the training section of this article to tidy it up (in a non-controversial way - others are welcome to update anything I've wrote) but when I try and delete the ad for MJP Hypnotherapy along with some information on NGH which is already mentioned in the section below so therefore duplicate it keeps getting reverted. I've tried a few times but it keeps getting changed back - how does one go about removing personal links? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.16.3.230 (talk) 18:24, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Evidence
I have just made extensive changes to this article. I removed a side-bar about CAM because it totally obscured the start of the article. I deleted some "hype" about success of different treatments that was unsupported by evidence. I have also added extensive references and quotations from my own peer-reviewed article on the history of hypnotherapy efficacy research. I've done it quickly, but if anyone needs more information to tidy it up or flesh out the references, I'll be happy to provide it. A link to a more detailed article on efficacy is below,

http://www.ukhypnosis.com/Events/Special%20Report%20on%20Hypnotherapy.pdf

--HypnoSynthesis 13:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

Huge improvement Hypnosynthesis. Now this article actually says something about it's subject. (I spent some time trying to get the text to run down the side of the side bar without success. I'm sure there's a way)(o: Fainites 15:57, 18 February 2007 (UTC) ---

I just deleted the section on techniques because it was an advertisement that somebody put up for their services. Not very appropriate for wiipedia. -- Hmmm. This is hardly neutral point of view. The efficacy of psychotherapy is very much doubted by those who use behaviourism or cognitive psychology as the basis for their theraputic work, and Freud himself gave up on hypnosis as a useful method for psychotherapy. Also, the articles claims for "success rates" is unsourced, and probably ignores the issues of the placebo effect, the possibility the patients would have gotten better without treatment, doesn't define "successful treatment", and doesn't compare the success rate with alternative treatment methods. --Robert Merkel

Hence, I removed this sentence from the main article:

Hypnotherapy is very successful with motivated clients that are mentally well (That is, they have a firm grip of reality), and with this specific group of clients, it often has a success rate of roughly 65-70%, according to some practitioners.

I should add that the article does contain quite a lot of useful information. --Robert Merkel

Can hypnotherapy be successful in curing clinical depression? Malau1

I disagree with your position that Behavorists and Cognitive Psychologist are not successful hypnotists. I read a book by Pavlov the famous Russian learning theorist. He described hypnosis as "cortical inhibition". It is when a stimulus no longer produces the reward. While the stimulus then reward is exciting, the stimulus and no reward causes inhibition. The lack of reward causes slowing down or something like sleep. He demonstrated this with an experiment.

Albert Ellis is a Cognitive Psychologist and he has written many articles on hypnosis. He wrote one of the hypnotic scripts in the book "Hypnotic Suggestion and Metaphors" by Norton Publishers, page 168. It is titled "Rational Emotive Suggestions about Anxiety".

Freud was a long time ago.

Why do the teachings of a person (Erica Fromm) belong here? Please provide some information on this person's authority in the subject, how widely accepted her ideas are, etc. - Centrx 21:38, 6 Jul 2004

Criticism
I really think that this article needs a criticism section, seeing how hypnosis is often perceived as dangerous by health professionals (i.e. the highly suggestible state of the subject). I would include some criticisms myself, but i'm not familiar enough with research/applications in this area. dr.alf


 * Absolutely. Does anyone know of a study where they compared people who were put under "hypnosis" for 1/2 hour a day compared to just lying down and relaxing for a 1/2 hour? I'm sure the "you're getting very very tired" part helps with stress, but I'm not convinced there's any medical effects besides those of the relaxation.--AK7 17:52, 2 February 2006 (UTC)


 * A lot of criticism about hypnosis comes from fear due to lack of knowledge and the way the media and Hollywood has portrayed hypnosis in the past. You state, "hypnosis is often perceived as dangerous by health professionals," yet you also say "i'm not familiar enough with research/applications in this area". Hypnosis is not dangerous, there is no way being in a highly suggestable state can cause injury to you mentally or physically anymore than you already are (depression, chronic pain). During hypnosis, if you do not agree with the hypnotist or do not want to follow instruction, you won't. Stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy, while both involving hypnosis, are pretty different from each other. Stage hypnosis relies on extroverted volunteers (the hypnotist generally gets to pick the 3-10 most highly suggestable audience members out of a crowd of 20-200), who are completely aware of what they are doing while on stage. While a short period of time in hypnosis can cause extreme relaxation, it has also been used to cessate/cease pain (painless child birth, surgery without anesthesia), relieve issues in the past(abuse), and stop habits(smoking, overeating, etc). Since I'm new to Wikipedia, I don't feel comfortable editing this page directly and would appreciate feedback on this. residente

-

I personaly feel that this part:

The Hypnotist-Subject relationship has been feared by some due to the practice of stage performers. In a book by Erica Fromm, it has been referred to as "archaic involvement", listing these responses in the "patient":

Feeling like a child in relation to the hypnotist. Wanting to please the hypnotist. Feeling guilty at not doing what the hypnotist wants. Worrying the hypnotist will not like you. Wanting to bask in the "power and glory" of the hypnotist. Everything the hypnotist says and does deeply matters.

Hypnotherapy, however, usually takes place in a clinical setting, within the framework of an individual course of therapy.

Seems to be written without much thought into the matter and simply taken from the book, and if this is the way it has been written in the book then I daresay Erica Fromm is giving false information. I understand that these can be problems but it is not specified that these kinds of reactions could occur in any setting with a therapist whether they by utilising hypnotherapy or not. It should be stated that this is common in all counselling/therapy related situations, and indeed even in day to day living where a person is being spoken to by someone they feel is superior. This person seems to be using scare-tactics to put hypnotherapy in a negative light.

Also more evidence should be put forward as to the benefits of hypnotherapy, and reference from other writers on the subject.

I'm new to this system but felt I had to contribute as I am a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, and trainer, so this is my area of expertise.

Far from the efficacy of psychotherapy being questioned by cognitive or behaviour therapists, these are often classed as forms of psychotherapy themselves.

Freud abandoned hypnosis for a variety of reasons most of which would now be seen as highly questionable. One was that he was frightened that subjects would become sexually attracted to the hypnotist, a conclusion he seems to have based upon a single anecdote. Later in his career he published an article entitled On the Future of Psychoanalysis (if I remember rightly) in which he accepted that hypnotherapy would have to be re-introduced to psychoanalysis in order to increase its effectiveness and speed the process of therapy up.

Regarding the placebo effect, there are now many reliable clinical trials which compare hypnosis to placebo and/or other treatment methods. I will supply references if it helps with the entry.

Michael Yapko is a world authority on the psychotherapy of depression and has published at least five books on the use of hypnotherapy to treat clinical depression.

I'm concerned that some of the posts above seem to assume that there is little or no research on hypnosis. There are an enormous number of studies available. For example, in 1999 the British Medical Association published a Clinical Review of hypnotherapy which cites a number of other meta-analyses and randomised trials. The US National Institute of Health also commissioned a report which reviewed the research and concluded that hypnotherapy was proven to be effective in managing a variety of different forms of physical pain.

I think this discussion needs to move beyond people's personal opinions and be informed by expert opinion and published research. Especially when the discussion is driven by people who, with respect, admit they don't know anything about the subject.

The reference to Erica Fromm seems out of place as her opinions are not representative, and do not seem to be substantiated by any evidence.

--HypnoSynthesis 23:46, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

-- As an actual clinical hypnotherapist - I would junk and reorganise most of this page! The section on 'Techniques' is not correct in any sense, as the majority of points in it are actually phenomenon that occur within a hypnoidal state - not as an induction or process to the state.

The previous poster has raised some concerns, but I feel that there is even less creditation to some of his comments regarding Mr Yapko and his publications - which are not actually field specific. They tend to draw more upon the natural suggestive states of therapy in general, with concentration on previously examined phenomenon established by others and his own anecdotal evidence.

I would also recommend that the articles section commenting on Ericksonian approaches; should have more specific vocabulary - 'Rigmarole' does not give any true comment on the induction processes or applications of trance. It would be worth linking Erickson to an NLP article, due to the predominant usage of 'Indirect' hypnosis in the popular sense.

Hypnotherapy has been recognised by the BMA since 1955 - a fact that has not been mentioned in the article or by any commentors on this discussion. The previous poster seems to have also misused a schism between cognitive, behavioural and psychodynamic schools of thought... CBT, REBT and psychotherapy are integral to many of the interventions used in hypnotherapy and the schools of thought (also Humanistic existentialism and biogenic theories) tend to be supportive of techniques that are brought to the individual treatment of the patient - NOT the disorders.

The references to Fromm - are just one point of criticism to the 'Role Playing' nature of hypnosis, appreciation of the other hypnotic models would be advised before commenting from one angle of critical understanding. Other theories of the actual state/process would include the 'Pavlovian' conditioned response to secondary signalling systems (language to suggestion), social/authoritive obedience/conformity (including role-playing), nervous sleep (hypnoidal responses), altered states of consciousness and many more etc etc et al...

With regards to Freud - he was not actually very good at hypnosis and therefore abandoned it and approached the 'Free association' without realising that it created a similar effect. Of course, he recognised the need of relaxing a client to promote a more hemispherical level of activity in his patients and would continue to take advantage of many of the phenomenon that are produced by such focussed attentions (regression, transference, amnesia).

With regards to a 'criticism' section - I would point out that properly trained and registered therapists are equipped to assess the possible usage of hypnotherapy to resolve a patients issue without harm. There is at the moment no legislation or government body that regulates therapists. The British Society of Clinical Hypnosis is constantly petitioning the UK government to create a regulatory body - also to ban the 'Stage hypnotist' forms of entertainment (which are already banned across the majority of European countries. Danger is only present to the patient when an unqualified or non regulated (by professional body) therapist is acting out of concern for money rather than ethical concerns.

There are no more concerns of abuse of therapeutic relationships/treatment than there are with any other malpracticeable profession in the uk. Less than 1% of malpractice claims are actually taken to judicial court hearings - which is somewhat lower than those that are entertained from many other medical/therapeutic professions.

The BACP (British Association of Counsellours and Psychotherapists), Imperial College and the University of Greenwich all have a working relationship with BSCH. The topic of depression as a hypnotically treatable symptomology is very carefully debated with all these bodies. As a rule of thumb - 'exogenous' depressions are typically considered treatable by hypnotherapeutic interventions. 'Endogenous' (or clinical) depressions are only treated with careful communication between the therapist and the GP following an actual specific diagnosis of depression. Either way - the approach to treating depression is very carefully adapted to ensure that certain suggestive languages are used and without the prescence of 'burdening' or 'heavy' languages that indicate 'Deepening sleeps' etc.

Typically - Gestalt 'Parts' therapy can be very succesful with some types of depression, as these are very 'mild' and covert in the nature of fixations of conscious processes that can lead to very natural hypnotic states without formal inductions... Hypnosis can be used with therapy to treat almost every type of physical or mental disorder, with the exception of; schizophrenia, autism (severe), epilepsy and organic brain diseases.

''Email address removed  Chzz  ► 16:25, 11 February 2011 (UTC)


 * My name is Donald Robertson, I'm also a hypnotherapist and director of a UK training school. I've published many articles on hypnosis, including a detailed review of the scientific and medical acceptance of hypnosis.


 * In response to Mark's comments above. I think most people in the field of hypnotherapy would consider Yapko's work to be at least worthy of mention in relation to the treatment of depression, perhaps we can leave it at that.  I would suggest that if Ericksonian hypnosis is to be linked to NLP it should be mentioned that the relationship between the two fields is controversial.  E.g., Weitzenhoeffer, a colleague and contemporary of Erickson, described the NLP interpretation of his work as "fanciful and absurd."


 * Not sure I understand your comment about CBT/psychotherapy, I think you may have misinterpreted my post. Anyway, I think the article should make it clear that cognitive, behavioural, and other psychotherapeutic approaches are widely used in the field of hypnotherapy.


 * The BMA council actually recognised hypnotherapy as a legitimate and potentially effective treatment following a committee report in 1892, which was subsequently re-endorsed in 1955. See my article on the subject for details.

http://www.ukhypnosis.com/Events/Special%20Report%20on%20Hypnotherapy.pdf


 * You mention the relationship between BACP and the BSCH. I met with Laurie Clark, the chairman of BACP recently over the topic of hypnotherapy.  Unfortunately, BACP do not accept hypnosis, hypnotherapy, or NLP as legitimate techniques of counselling or psychotherapy.  I hope that position will change one day, but at present there seems to be opposition to it.  The UKCP and EAP, by contrast, acknowledge "hypno-psychotherapy" as a key modality of psychotherapy.


 * The comment about Gestalt therapy for depression is interesting but I don't think this should be incorporated into the article without evidence as it might be disputed by skeptics. --HypnoSynthesis 15:53, 29 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Returning to the the question of BACP's attitude towards hypnotherapy. It is worth remembering the previous comment regarding the BMA's positive attitude to hypntherapy i.e. that it is a legitimate form of therapy. The fact that BACP refuses to accept hypnosis, despite the position of the BMA raises the question of; what is the motivation of BACP in this area? Is their refusal an example of a 'cautious' attitude, or are there more political motive behind their stance? 90.192.107.176 (talk) 00:44, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

Under the US Certification boards, as of 12/12/2008 the first 2 - The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association and the International Association of Councelors and Therapists, have the same CEO and same people performing the same function on the operations team of both organizations. There are probably legitimate reasons for them to be organized this way but a casual surfer could construe that these are 2 completely independent organizations that recognize each other. I am not sure whether my concern is legitimate or how to neutrally phrase it on the main page - any thoughts? rgalbin

why is this article so heavily disputing the effects and evidence for the therapy while the analogous section on the [hypnosis] page does not?

looks like there's no consensus on what the therapy even is... which is very common on alternative medicine and pseudo science.

just 2 cents from a curious dude. cheers!

cregox (T | C) 18:12, Thursday 2019-04-18 (UTC) 18:12, 18 April 2019 (UTC)

The APHP
Why not ask the Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy for input on this one? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Suenortheast (talk • contribs) 12:53, 17 February 2007 (UTC).

The APHP are just one of about six major hypnotherapy trade organisations in the UK of similar nature and membership size. Their comments might be useful, but so might those of other similar organisations. HypnoSynthesis 14:53, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

No Criticism?
I think that no one can deny that there is some criticism of hypnotherapy. Furthermore, I am very impressed by the eloquent defenses of its legitimate value on this discussion page. Should those concerns and responses not be represented on the topic? I think they should. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.17.112.14 (talk) 08:02, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

There have been some additions to this page recently which seem to be unfounded and unsubstantiated criticisms (and based on false assumptions). There are criticisms of hypnotherapy but (believe it or not!) you would be hard pressed to find much in the way of coherent, evidence-based criticism -most of it is just public misconception. I am partisan, but I'd be happy to see rational criticisms being included. The recent stuff is unreferenced and blatantly false, though. It looks like vandalism, IMHO. --HypnoSynthesis 22:59, 27 October 2007 (UTC)


 * As someone who has had some experience of working with and editing Wiki entries (albeit by-enlarge anonymously) Might I suggest you have as much right as anyone else to edit entries that are incorrect, provided you can substantiate your reasons for editing. Although, to be perfectly frank, such is the 'nature' of wikipedia, you can edit away as much as you like as there's little or no controls in place to prevent anyone adding out right nonsense to an entry, altough someone will eventually change it. It's also worth noting that 'entry vandalism' does seem to be on the rise 90.192.107.176 (talk) 00:53, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

Agreed, vandalism is on the rise since you can edit all you want. But justifying yourself is most helpful. --DavidD4scnrt (talk) 07:40, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Erica Fromm not
It's more likely to be the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm. Julia Rossi (talk) 05:48, 28 May 2008 (UTC)
 * No, it is Erika Fromm who wrote 12 books and over a hundred professional articles about hypnosis.216.21.201.140 (talk) 15:49, 9 June 2015 (UTC)
 * See Erika Fromm for details. Lindsay658 (talk) 17:13, 9 June 2015 (UTC)

Hypno-psychotherapy - Merger from section in psychotherapy
I agree that the Hypno-psychotherapy section in psychotherapy should be reduced to an explanatory sentence, and the bulk of the text merged with hypnotherapy. The content is absolutely fine but in the present form it has undue prominence in the psychotherapy page, relative to its importance in the field of psychotherapy. --Anonymaus (talk) 00:39, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

Agree The section is too long for an overview needed here. (It was added by User:Hypnonlp on 25th January 2008.) Lumos3 (talk)  10:59, 30 June 2008 (UTC)

The following essay was moved here from the psychotherapy article by me. It is too long and detailed for that article. Will a subject expert merge it with this article if it is useful. Lumos3 (talk) 21:37, 30 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Unlike the majority of comparable therapies, hypno psychotherapy measures its history not in years or decades but centuries. Therefore, if the provenance of a therapy is to be determined by its longevity, hypno psychotherapy has stood the test of time. Throughout much of that history, the discipline has been hampered by the absence of a single theory to explain the medium through which it works - hypnosis. The usually acknowledged forerunner of modern hypno psychotherapy, Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), believed in the existence of a universal fluid - animal magnetism - an imbalance of which in the human body caused illness. He, and others trained by him, sought to control the distribution of this fluid, restoring balance, and health, to those who sought his help. Mesmer was careful to confirm whether any given presenting problem were organic or functional, and worked with the latter, functional psychosomatic illnesses. (This same caution is observed by competent practitioners today.) Mesmer was convinced that a cure might only be achieved when a patient experienced a crisis, typified by convulsions and related phenomena. In 1784, a Royal Commission in France, where Mesmer was then resident, decided against the existence of magnetic fluid. The Commission attributed Mesmer's undoubted successes to his manipulation of a patient's imagination; that is, by suggestion.


 * In an age not familiar with the power of suggestion alone, outside of a religious context, the significance of the Commission's findings was overlooked. But if there were no universal fluid, with nothing physical being transmitted between Mesmerist and subject, related phenomena must be psychological in origin. The blind regained their sight, for instance, through the power of imagination and suggestion, rather than animal magnetism. Since Mesmer would not allow his theory to be displaced by such a concept, and the Commission discounted it, the emergence of modern psychology and hypno psychotherapy was postponed. Discredited by the findings of the Commission and other enquiries, and the bizarre nature in which he chose to conduct therapy sessions, Mesmer eventually returned to his native Austria. These events, along with the convulsions of the French Revolution, Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic Europe, scattered Mesmer's followers throughout Europe and abroad. Attempts to carry forward Mesmer's medical applications met with considerable opposition. British doctors who advocated the use of Mesmerism, for instance, made little progress because of the attitude of the medical and scientific establishments. John Elliotson (1791-1868) was obliged to resign his post as Professor of Surgery at University College, London. James Braid (1795-1860), who substituted the word "Hypnotism" * for Mesmerism, was refused permission to read a paper on the subject to the British Association for the Advancement of Science. James Esdaile (1808-1859), who performed over 300 major surgical operations in India using hypnosis as the anaesthetic, was denied access to the medical press to publish his findings. (* From Hypnos, Ancient Greek god of sleep, since Braid thought a form of sleep was involved. The name persists, though the sleep theory has been discarded.)


 * The often legitimate suspicions aroused by the extravagant claims and behaviour of mesmerists and hypnotists - some of whom exploited, and continue to exploit, related phenomena for "entertainment" - relegated the legitimate applications of hypnosis to the fringe of respectability. The advent of chemical anaesthetics and growth of the drugs industry impeded the study and use of hypnosis in medicine. In much the same way as chemical agents had served to displace hypnosis in the practice of medicine, so Freudian psychoanalysis tended to displace it in psychotherapy. Despite sporadic revivals of interest, such as after and during the First and Second World Wars when short term psychotherapy was needed, its present popularity is comparatively recent. Mesmer's student, de Puysegur (1751-1825), had quietly relegated the importance of the crisis in favour of the trance-like state typical of his therapeutic practice. Modern therapy, too, recognises the significance of the trance and, when we speak of somebody being "mesmerised", we do not suppose that person to be convulsed. Although emotion may be released - most particularly when the technique of hypno-analysis is used, based on the Freudian view that repressed material may be recovered from the unconscious mind - it is a sense of calm detachment, rather than crisis, which typifies the great majority of hypnotherapy sessions.


 * A typical modern hypno psychotherapy session, influenced by research and refinement in numerous countries since Mesmer's day, comprises induction, treatment strategy, and termination. In the induction, the therapist may, for example, speak slowly to the subject about the subject's becoming imaginatively involved in an experience of focussed awareness, whilst peripheral distractions fade - hence the subject may, with eyes closed, concentrate upon the progressive relaxation of his/her muscles to the exclusion of external events and stimuli. A good subject, well-motivated, optimistic about the therapy and confident in the therapist (criteria in which he/she may be educated in and out of hypnosis) is then ready to engage in any therapy intended to change inappropriate behaviour, thought or feeling. This means that virtually all, if not all, psychological techniques may be delivered via the medium of hypnosis. Because imaginative involvement, selective attention, and suspension of the critical process are all characteristic of the hypnotic state, hypno psychotherapy may often be the treatment of choice. The subject may move forward or backward in time, rehearse coping techniques, learn to correct types of thinking and feeling prejudicial to emotional well-being, and behaviour prejudicial to physical health, confront, but not exaggerate, life's problems whilst reappraising its potential, develop the ability to use self-hypnosis and perform "homework" tasks emphasising modern hypno psychotherapy's stress upon a subject's active involvement in the desired therapeutic outcome. At the termination, cues for subsequent positive thoughts, feelings or behaviour (post-hypnotic suggestions) may be introduced or re-iterated. Finally, the subject is gently returned from what has been described as an altered state of consciousness - the hypnotic state - to the everyday state of consciousness with its diffuse and distracting stimuli. Now discussion takes place (possibly an extension of dialogue whilst the subject was in hypnosis) and the hypnotic experience is examined in order to inform and enhance future therapy sessions i.e. the therapist defers to the source of expertise and control which lies not with the therapist, but with the subject.


 * Given a comfortable environment, a sympathetic and empathetic therapist who inspires confidence, and the subject's optimism about a realistic outcome, that outcome may be achieved. Because hypnosis is so fundamental, and universal, even if not recognised as such, it should not be withdrawn from the public domain, either in terms of training or availability as therapy. Rather, we should be aiming to widen such training and availability. Whilst hypnosis can stand alone as a form of therapy or form an adjunct to any other profession, it should become the property of no single profession. Virtually any book on the subject deals with the numerous theories of hypnosis. Essentially, the debate centres upon whether or not hypnosis is a special state. "State" theorists might argue that the subject's appearance and subjective reports of the hypnotic experience alone would support their theory. "Non-state" theorists might argue that hypnotic behaviour is the result of motivation, attitude and expectancy resulting in the subject's willingness to follow the therapist's suggestions. Perhaps the outcome will be some sort of compromise: 'Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness, the achievement of which is greatly influenced by factors such as the subject's motivation, attitude and expectancy promoting a willingness to follow the therapist's suggestions'

Merger from Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH) article
I have done the merger. The (short and POV-seeming) CBH article included over 100 sources which weren't actually used in that article! I have simply deleted them. Ben Finn (talk) 16:05, 16 January 2010 (UTC)

POV
Though I'm not an expert on this subject it does appear to be somewhat POV in lack of criticism. E.g. the section '2001 report' gave the impression that the BPS report was unreservedly in favour of hypnosis, whereas it does in fact give a number of reservations (I've briefly summarized a few). Ben Finn (talk) 16:09, 16 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Is this a fringe subject? Perhaps a post to the Fringe Noticeboard might get some more eyes here... Auntie E. (talk) 06:42, 19 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Have added a section here. Auntie E. (talk) 06:50, 19 January 2010 (UTC)


 * If sources are being misrepresented then be WP:BOLD and update the article to better represent the sources. Simonm223 (talk) 13:57, 19 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Can't get damn Adobe to work...but I'm guessing the section probably doesn't need to go into such detail with all the quotes, and I suspect that the small addendum Ben added isn't quite given enough due weight. This is a huge topic though, and there has to be some criticism somewhere. Auntie E. (talk) 03:02, 21 January 2010 (UTC)

Hypnotherapy Organisations in the UK
I have just removed this subsection, because;
 * It had no references at all; it was not verifiable
 * It was not neutral, making claims about the bodies

I will leave the content here, in case others are able to source it and perhaps add back appropriately referenced information.

 UKCHO and the Working Group for Hypnotherapy Regulation (WGHR) are "umbrella" bodies and their membership comprises many different hypnotherapy registers, societies, associations and councils within the United Kingdom. There are at least 29 such membership organisations represented by UKCHO and WGHR - and several others not covered by those umbrella bodies including LCCH Limited (BSCH) and IAPH. These are the professional membership organisations bodies which have direct contact with and register/accredit hypnotherapy practitioners by applying their various codes of ethics, training standards and supervision and CPD requirements. See Hypnotherapy in the United Kingdom for details on some of the major registers and associations.

 Chzz  ► 17:27, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

Removal of large amount of text
I have removed various sections and portions of sections from this article, as unreferenced, non-neutral, original research, not verifiable, and tone concerns.

Frankly, the article is in a very poor state, and without some fairly ruthless pruning, it is hard to know how to start on it.

Please do try to add information, but let us make sure that all additions have a reliable source.

Removed text follows.  Chzz  ► 17:16, 11 February 2011 (UTC)



(all text shown was removed, except where noted in this font and colour

Lede:

Hypnotherapy is often applied in order to modify a subject's behavior, emotional content, and attitudes, as well as a wide range of conditions including dysfunctional habits, anxiety, stress-related illness, pain management, and personal development.

Hypnotism versus mesmerism

Whereas Mesmerism is a supernatural theory, hypnotism attempted to explain the same phenomena in terms of psychology and physiology. As Braid puts it, it is a scientific and "psycho-physiological" (mind-body) discipline.

There is no doubt that some individuals have suffered the ill effects of being involved in stage hypnotic shows. Stage hypnotists use words like 'magic' and 'control' in an attempt to mystify the effects of hypnosis. In addition, using various tests of hypnotic suggestibility, they focus on 'hypnotic virtuosos' and provide the audience with hours of entertainment at the participants' expense. Trained hypnotherapists, or rather therapists who use hypnosis as an adjunct to their treatment programme, create an environment by which the clients can access their inner resources in their own, unique way. Therapists, unlike stage hypnotists, who give the illusion that individuals are ‘out of control’, give the control to the individuals.

Modalities

Hypnotherapy takes many different forms, and has integrated elements from, and in turn influenced, other psychotherapeutic traditions throughout its history.

Traditional hypnotherapy

This simple form of treatment employed relatively direct methods and few theoretical constructs, but has continued to influence most subsequent forms of hypnotherapy.

Hypnoanalysis

Freud and Breuer used hypnosis to regress clients to an earlier age in order to help them remember and abreact supposedly repressed traumatic memories. Although Freud gradually abandoned hypnotherapy in favour of his developing method of psychoanalysis, his early work continued to influence many subsequent hypnotherapists. However, as Freud later conceded, his French rival Pierre Janet had already published a case study describing the use of age regression in hypnotic psychotherapy, a few years earlier.

Subsequent regression hypnotherapy was sometimes known as "hypnoanalysis", "analytic hypnotherapy", or "psychodynamic hypnotherapy." Many practitioners worked in ways that bore only faint resemblance to Freud's original approach, although others continued to be influenced by later psychoanalytic theory and practice.

Hypnoanalysis found support in both world wars where it was used by military psychiatrists as a rapid alternative to psychoanalysis in the treatment of shellshock, now known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Considerable controversy developed regarding the use of regression to uncover allegedly repressed memories in the 1990s as the result of several high-profile legal cases, where clients sued their therapists over claims of false memory syndrome.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy

Changed from...

Milton H. Erickson was one of the most influential hypnotists of the 20th century. From around the 1950s onward, Erickson developed a radically different approach to hypnotism, which has subsequently become known as "Ericksonian hypnotherapy" or "Neo-Ericksonian hypnotherapy." Erickson made use of a more informal conversational approach with many clients and complex language patterns, and therapeutic strategies. However, this very divergence from tradition led some of his colleagues, most notably Andre Weitzenhoffer, to dispute whether Erickson was right to label his approach "hypnosis" at all. Nevertheless, Erickson's work continues to be one of the most influential forces in modern hypnotherapy.

Changed to...

In the 1950s, Milton H. Erickson developed a radically different approach to hypnotism, which has subsequently become known as "Ericksonian hypnotherapy" or "Neo-Ericksonian hypnotherapy." Erickson made use of an informal conversational approach with many clients and complex language patterns, and therapeutic strategies. This divergence from tradition led some of his colleagues, including Andre Weitzenhoffer, to dispute whether Erickson was right to label his approach "hypnosis" at all.

Cognitive/behavioral hypnotherapy

The traditional style of hypnotherapy can be seen as a precursor of cognitive-behavioral therapy insofar as both place emphasis upon "common sense" theoretical explanations and the use of relaxation, and rehearsal of positive ideas and imagery in therapy. Modern cognitive therapy primarily differs from previous hypnotherapy approaches by placing much greater emphasis upon the direct Socratic disputation of negative beliefs. However, cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapists have assimilated this technique alongside their use of hypnosis.

From the 1980s onward various clinical textbooks about CBH were written by researchers such as Steven Jay Lynn, Irving Kirsch, E. Thomas Dowd, William Golden, and Assen Alladin.

Hypnosis in surgery

In around the middle of the 19th century, Mesmerists used hypnosis to alleviate pain and distress during surgery. Most notably James Esdaile in India and John Elliotson in England were renowned for their work in this area. The founder of hypnotherapy, James Braid was a surgeon himself, specialising in muscular conditions, and had reported many cases of minor surgery using hypnotism.

The article is linked in 'see also'

Research, Systematic reviews, 1890s

--- changed from...

In 1892, the British Medical Association (BMA) commissioned a team of doctors to undertake an extensive evaluation of the nature and effects of hypnotherapy, they reported,

to...

In 1892, the British Medical Association (BMA) commissioned a team of doctors to undertake an evaluation of the nature and effects of hypnotherapy;

---

This report was approved by the general council of the BMA, thereby forming BMA policy and rendering hypnotherapy a form of "orthodox", as opposed to complementary or alternative, medicine.

Subsequent research on hypnotherapy has tended to highlight three main areas in which its efficacy as a treatment has been demonstrated,
 * 1) Anxiety
 * 2) Insomnia
 * 3) Pain management
 * 4) Psychosomatic disorder, i.e., stress-related illness

Hypnotherapy has many other applications but research into its effectiveness has tended to focus upon these issues. More mixed results have been obtained for its efficacy in relation to the treatment of addictions, an area where high relapse is common with most treatments.

This is a much more thorough and extensive report, and constitutes one of the most significant documents in the history of hypnotherapy research.

2001 Report

However the report also expresses reservations about hypnosis, e.g. that it is no more effective than other therapies;, and that its reliability e.g. for retrieving memories is often exaggerated.

History

Precursors of hypnotherapy have been seen in the sleep temples and mystery religions of ancient Graeco-Roman society, though analogies are often tenuous. Some parallels can be drawn between hypnotism and the trance-inducing rituals common to most pre-literate societies.

In the mid-18th century when Franz Anton Mesmer introduced the concepts and techniques of "animal magnetism", Mesmerism became an influential school of esoteric therapy and important Mesmerists like James Esdaile and John Elliotson helped maintain its popularity in medicine until the end of the 19th century when it experienced a kind of resurgence in the work of Jean-Martin Charcot, the father of modern neurology.

In the 1840s, Scottish surgeon James Braid, pioneered the concept of hypnotism as an opposing tradition to Mesmerism, based upon basic psychological and physiological mechanisms rather than the occult theories of animal magnetism. Braid's work was of limited influence in the UK but in France his ideas were developed into a more sophisticated psychological treatment. Hippolyte Bernheim began as a sceptic but became converted to the importance of hypnotism by observing the work of the celebrated country doctor Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault who rejected the theory of Mesmer and followed Abbé Faria. Emile Coué, a former clinical assistant to Liébeault, proposed a more collaborative and educational alternative to hypnosis called "conscious autosuggestion" which became very popular as a form of self-help in the 1920s.

In the mid to late 1880s American medical Surgeon-Physician, Rufus Osgood Mason supported the idea of the use of hypnosis for "Therapeutic Applications", and wrote articles and authored a book on this as a concept. He was also a supporter of early parapsychology and psychical research.

An important rivalry and debate developed between the Salpêtrière school of Charcot, which focused on physiological phenomena induced by Mesmeric practices, and the Nancy school of Bernheim which placed more emphasis upon psychology and verbal suggestion, following the later writings of Braid. However, Charcot's ideas on hypnosis were almost entirely discredited and Bernheim's school effectively won the debate, becoming the most significant precursor of modern psychological hypnotism.

Sigmund Freud was originally a proponent of hypnotherapy. He traveled to France to study hypnosis with the two great teachers of his day, Charcot at the Salpêtrière and Bernheim's Nancy School. Freud wrote several articles on hypnotherapy and translated two of Bernheim's books on the subject from French into German. He originally employed hypnotherapy with a small number of clients in the 1890s. By about 1905, he had largely abandoned the procedure in favor of his newly-developed free association or "talking" technique. However, Freud's description of the basic rule of free association still bears a striking resemblance to certain modern methods of hypnotic induction. Struggling with the great expense of time required for psychoanalysis to be successful, Freud later suggested that it might be combined with hypnotic suggestion once more in an attempt to hasten the outcome of treatment,

"It is very probable, too, that the application of our therapy to numbers will compel us to alloy the pure gold of analysis plentifully with the copper of direct suggestion. (S. Freud, Lines of Advance in Psychoanalytic Therapy, 1919)"

However, only a handful of Freud's followers were sufficiently qualified in hypnosis to attempt the synthesis, which resulted in a gradual resurgence in popularity of "hypno-analysis" or "hypnotic regression" methods of hypnotherapy.

Milton H. Erickson, M.D. is considered one of the most influential modern hypnotherapists. He has written many books, journals and articles on the subject, and his accomplishments are well-documented.

During the 1960s, Erickson was responsible for popularizing an entirely new branch of hypnotherapy, which we now call Ericksonian hypnotherapy, characterized by, amongst other things, indirect suggestion, confusion techniques, and double binds.

The popularity of Erickson's techniques has since led to the development of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), which has in turn found use in modern-day sales, advertising, and corporate training. However, NLP has been criticized by many eminent hypnotists as a distortion of Erickson's work. For example, Andre Weitzenhoffer, a leading Stanford researcher and former colleague of Erickson, stated,

"[...] Richard Bandler and John Grinder [the founders of NLP] have on the other hand, offered a much adulterated, and at times fanciful, version of what they perceived Erickson as saying or doing guided by their own personal theorising. (Weitzenhoffer, The Practice of Hypnotism, 2000: 592-593)"

Training

Unreferenced section There is considerable debate about who should have access to training in hypnosis. Professional bodies such as the International Society of Hypnosis, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis believe that hypnosis should only be used by medically and psychologically qualified practitioners, and will only offer training to such individuals. Non-professional organisations (often called lay bodies) hold that hypnotherapy is a profession in and of itself, and argue that training in hypnotherapy is sufficient for individuals to practice clinically.

Training requirements vary greatly worldwide with the key determining factor being whether the use of hypnotherapy is State-recognized in a given area. In the UK, St Mary's University College is the only academic institution to offer a training programme in Clinical Hypnosis. However, the National College of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy has had its courses recognised by the Open University since 1997 and have since announced that their four stage hypno-psychotherapy programme received Level 7 recognition from the Qualifi National Awarding Body. Additionally, Sheffield University and UCL have run Masters Degrees in Applied Hypnosis in the past.

When it comes to becoming a hypnotherapist, training requirements and state registration requirements vary greatly around the world. Those interested in becoming a hypnotherapist should first research the laws in their state and then consider joining a professional organization that can guide them in proper training and offer a central code of ethics and disciplinary procedure to which they can commit. This provides assurance to clients and a good ethical framework for the therapist in question.

A BBC investigation found that the conditions for becoming registered were not always sufficient to prevent fraud: "The regulation of hypnotherapists in the UK is so lax that even a cat can become accredited, the BBC has found. George the cat was registered with three hypnotherapy organisations." Similar results were found in the United States.

State-licensed hypnotherapy schools do exist in the U.S., and increase in number each year. Several accrediting professional bodies that require minimum standards in specialized hypnotherapy education to become certified as a hypnotherapist (C.Ht.) are also available to professional hypnotherapists and as a resource for individuals to find a qualified professional. The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA), International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT), and the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) are just a few.

The certified hypnotherapist that has gained certification as a CHt through a professional organization such as IMDHA, or IACT has at the minimum level, training in basic and advanced hypnosis with a minimum of 160 hour specialized hypnosis instruction. Professional organisations usually have their own set of guidelines and code of ethics to abide by, and require a number of hours of professional development every year to ensure the highest quality in treatment ranging from 15-30 CEU's per year. Many hypnotherapists undertake this kind of professional development and training and will continue to do it until they stop practicing. Regardless of specialized training, a hypnotherapist does not diagnose or treat any individual without the proper credentials to do so, and many times will request referrals and records to be released from a client's physician for medical and/or certain psychiatric conditions.

The definition of Hypnotherapist was provided for the U.S. Department of Labor by Dr. John Kappas of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 1973. A Hypnotherapist practicing in accordance with the definition uses techniques taught by Dr. Kappas and the Hypnosis Motivation Institute located in Tarzana, California. The Hypnosis Motivation Institute is the first nationally accredited college of hypnotherapy with a rigorous curriculum of 720 hours of training including clinical internship. The title of Clinical Hypnotherapist (C.Ht.) is earned upon completion of the program. Certification is available by the Hypnotherapists Union Local 472 to achieve the title of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

Professional membership boards

section

USA

 * International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association: Founded in 1986, a referral service of Certified Hypnotherapists dedicated to providing the community with trained Certified Hypnotherapists. These Certified Hypnotherapists work with allied healthcare professionals to aid individuals in dealing with specific challenges and procedures.


 * International Association of Counselors and Therapists: Founded in 1990, IACT is a multidisciplined association, which specializes in holistic techniques. IACT's membership includes medical practitioners, psychologists, clinical social workers, stress consultants, NLP practitioners, clergy, licensed massage therapists, hypnotherapists, biofeedback specialists, nutritionists, educators, mental health therapists, substance abuse counselors and others in the helping, healing arts.


 * International Hypnosis Federation: Founded in 1998, this organization has a registry and referral directory for help and health-care professionals. The organization's multidisciplinary worldwide membership of holistic practitioners, psychologists, clinical social workers, stress consultants, demonstrational hypnotists, MDs, RNs, spiritual counselors, coaches, conflict resolution specialists and educators agree to a code of ethics. The organization also holds an annual conference in San Pedro, California each March.


 * The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) was founded in 1957 by Milton Erickson, MD. It is an interdisciplinary organization of medical, dental and mental health professionals interested in the clinical use of hypnosis.    ASCH promotes understanding and use of hypnosis as a clinical tool with broad applications in medicine, dentistry and mental health.  ASCH offers training and certification programs and provides practitioners with ethical and treatment guidelines for the clinical use of hypnosis by trained, licensed professionals.  Currently, ASCH has around 2,000 members in the US, Canada and other countries.


 * National Guild of Hypnotists: Established in 1951, it is the oldest professional hypnotist organization in North America


 * American Board of Clinical Hypnotherapy: Founded in 1996 as a membership organization committed to maintaining professional standards in the field of Clinical Hypnotherapy and to creating a forum for professional practitioners in the field.


 * National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotheraphists: Founded in 1991, the NBCCH certifies mental health professionals in the field of hypnotheraphy and provides referral services for persons seeking hypnotherapy throughout the US and western Europe.


 * American Council of Hypnotist Examiners: Founded in 1980, ACHE certifies examiners worldwide.

These licensing boards are specifically for professionals in the medical and/or psychiatric field and generally do not encompass the certified hypnotherapist who explicitly specialize in hypnotherapy.

Working Group for Hypnotherapy Regulation

...which is a one-stop resource for members of the public and the National Health Service. The Register currently holds approximately 5,200 entries and is known as the National Regulatory Register for Hypnotherapy. The Working Group for Hypnotherapy Regulation is formed of more than 20 professional organisations that have chosen to work together to progress Voluntary Self Regulation in hypnotherapy and to create agreed standards in all aspects of the profession.

In the US there are currently no recognized doctorates in hypnotherapy. State licensed schools offer credentialing after the basic educational standards and examinations have been successfully passed as a C.Ht. (Certified Hypnotherapist) or a C.M.Ht. (Certified Medical Hypnotherapist), depending on the school and it's approved curriculum. Instructor status is given through professional accrediting organizations based on completed training requirements and examination.

Indian Restriction

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, vide its letter no. R.14015/25/96-U&H(R) (Pt.) dated 25 November 2003, has very categorically stated that hypnotherapy is a recommended mode of therapy in India to be practiced by only appropriately trained personnel.

Indian Board of Clinical Hypnotherapy a private body founded in 2010 committed to promote the practise and teaching of Hypnotherapy in India and Asia through a forum of certified practitioners and affiliated institutes maintaining high professional standards in the arena of Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Maharaja Sayajirao University (M.S.University 4 star) at Vadodara is conducting one-year Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Applied Hypnosis (P.G.D.C.A.H.) from 2000.

Clinical hypnosis is included in the syllabus of Master of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), a pre-doctorate course conducted by The Rehabilitation Council of India which is followed by all universities in India.

Hypnotherapy is the part of syllabus in M. Sc./ M.A. Psychology degree course,University of Rajastan, Jaipur ; Banaras Hindu University ; M. Sc. Yoga degree course of Bharathidassan University ,B.A./B.Sc.Degree(Psychology), B.A. Journalism in Bangalore University  ; and B. Sc. Nursing course syllabus of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik

The code for commercial advertising on Doordarshan and All India Radio states that “No advertisement should contain any offer to diagnose or treat complaints or conditions by hypnosis"

Australia

The Australian Hypnotherapists Association is a member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) which represents many counselling and psychotherapy associations in Australia as well as many other professions.

However, many individual hypnotherapists and professional hypnotherapy associations do not seek to be members of PACFA, because they recognize that PACFA, as an organization, is not dedicated to the specific interests of hypnotherapy and hypnotherapists.

With this in mind in 2007 a majority of professional hypnosis groups — including professional organizations, private teaching organizations, and other hypnotism-associated professional bodies — have agreed to work toward creating a new national body to be known as Hypnotherapy Council of Australia. The Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists (CCH) will represent the Hypnosis Associations from the Southern Region of Australia, i.e. the States of Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Techniques


 * Age regression - by returning to an earlier ego-state the patient can regain qualities they once had, but have lost. Remembering an earlier, healthier, ego-state can increase the patients' strength and confidence.
 * Revivification - remembering past experiences can contribute to therapy. For example; the hypnotist may ask "have you ever been in trance?" and then find it easier to revive the previous experience than attempt inducing a new state.
 * Guided imagery - a method by which the subject is given a new relaxing and beneficial experience.


 * Confusion - a method developed by Milton H. Erickson in which the subject is more likely to be receptive to indirect suggestion due to an altered state of confusion.
 * Repetition - the more an idea is repeated it is thought the more likely it is to be accepted and acted upon by the patient.
 * Direct suggestion - a method where statements are suggested directly to the patient, for example "You feel safe and secure".
 * Indirect suggestion - using "interspersal" technique and other means to cause effect.
 * Mental state - often patients are more receptive while relaxed, sleeping, or in a trance.
 * Hypnoanalysis - the client recalls moments from his/her past, confronting them and releasing associated emotions, similar to psychoanalysis.
 * Post-hypnotic suggestion - a suggestion that will be carried out after the trance has ended. "When you re-awaken you will feel refreshed and happy!"
 * Visualization - a method that involves the patient being told to imagine or visualize a desired outcome seems to make it more likely to actually occur.

Request to add link to tfioh.com
Hello Wikipedia,

I am with The Florida Institute of Hypnotherapy in Tampa, FL. I see you have hypnotherapy information provided for our community and am hoping you will consider posting a link to our website to better provide educational resources for your viewers. TFIOH is arguably one of the top 3 hypnotherapy schools in the nation now offering over 600-hours of training and is very credible. Our website has a wealth of information and would be a valuable resource for viewers wishing to learn more. Our website is:

www.tfioh.com

I appreciate you responding back and look forward to our cooperation.

Your Friend, Joshua Vlahos, CHt Student Services Director FIH jvlahos@instituteofhypnotherapy.com www.tfioh.com (800) 551-9247

Signing: 108.9.118.189 (talk) 18:06, 28 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Some of the most relevant policies/guidelines are WP:SOAP, WP:NOTLINK, and WP:EL. Generally, such links are not appropriate. --Ronz (talk) 18:18, 28 December 2011 (UTC)
 * You can create a wikipedia article about your 'Institute of Hypnotherapy' provided you cite references for your statements.—Khabboos (talk) 15:53, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
 * Khabboos, you really need to stop giving advice when you have so little experience. This isn't the first time you have tried advising other users, including spamming that advice, which then had to be deleted from a lot of articles. It's not constructive. Your advice above is wrong. The subject must be WP:Notable to have an article. Citing RS is not enough. -- Brangifer (talk) 02:50, 28 June 2014 (UTC)

Hypnotherapy can do a whole lot of things
Hypnotherapy can do a whole lot of things, but I'm wondering if we can use the web-site of a hypnotherapist/s (e.g. www.SteveGJones.com) as a reference. Any comments!—Khabboos (talk) 15:47, 24 June 2014 (UTC)


 * As with all references it depends on what context you are planning on using it for. However, I would be careful with this type of website per Self-published sources.  VViking Talk Edits 23:51, 24 June 2014 (UTC)

Page could use some work
Looks like prior cleanup has left us with little more than odds and ends here. Anyone object if I start refocusing the article on the actual topic? That is, hypnotherapy = the use of hypnosis for therapy? There's plenty of recent, high-quality research on the topic, so we needn't stray into no-man's land here. The main hypnosis article has plenty of good material that doesn't need to be repeated here, just referenced, so this one can stay pretty short. Let me know what you think! RobertPlamondon (talk) 19:14, 18 February 2015 (UTC)

criticism of meta analysis
I think it is worth adding dare criticism about this Flammer; Bongartz (2003). "On the efficacy of hypnosis: a meta-analytic study." meta-analysis Now dare to comment "The research question was clear in terms of the interventions and study design, although vague with respect to the participants. Two relevant databases were searched, but it is unclear whether any language restrictions were applied. The search seems limited and unpublished studies do not appear to have been sought, therefore publication bias may be an issue. The authors assessed publication bias using a statistical method but the implication of the results is unclear. There were no details as to how the studies were selected or the data extracted, thus it is not clear whether attempts were made to minimise error and bias. The authors calculated a mean effect size for each study which was an average of all the outcomes in that study; since not all the results for each individual study were given, it is not clear whether this was appropriate or clinically useful. There appears to be significant heterogeneity between the results of the individual studies, thus the reliability of the pooled results may be questionable. Given the lack of methodological details, lack of study details, and potential for error and bias during the review process, the results of this meta-analysis should be treated with caution."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0020254/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 37.229.111.127 (talk) 02:08, 11 March 2016 (UTC)

Note 5 (reference to the metanalysis of efficacy in smoking cessation) currently links to a 2005 meta analysis. If you go to the article, you find the disclaimer that it's not the most recent version of the article. The most current version is from 2010. Maybe someone should update it.

Assessment comment
Substituted at 18:36, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

Critical Edits Needed From Experienced Wikipedia User (Help Required)
The Hypnotherapy Wikipedia page requires fixing three specific errors. These errors give readers/the public the wrong information and prevent accurate understanding and interaction with the subject matter. I have tried to make them myself and provided multiple scholar research and journal sources/references to support each edit, however they keep being reverted (unfortunately I am unable to add screenshots here, please see the page revision history). Furthermore, the sources I attempted to provide are industry peer-reviewed articles while other edits only source websites, which are unreliable. Would an experienced/skilled Wikipedia user please assist to improve the page and make the three edits:


 * 1) Hypnotherapy is a form of Psychotherapy (this is well known and established).
 * 2) Remove the word Placebo (Hypnotherapy is a researched therapeutic method, and there is no research which states it is explicitly placebo, yet the Hypnotherapy Wikipedia page highlights that Hypnotherapy is placebo, and it also shows up as placebo in bold on Google search for Hypnotherapy Wikipedia. There is no need to highlight placebo on the article and on google search, as this misleads the public and readers).
 * 3) Remove Stage Hypnosis from applications (this should only be on the Hypnosis page. It is not relevant on the Hypnotherapy page. Stage Hypnosis is not part of Hypnotherapy, again this misleads readers and the public).

I realise I haven't been perfect in my approach but I am learning as I go. Thanks in advance for the assistance. Arthur.

Sources:


 * 1) Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy: Brom, D., Kleber, R. J., & Defares, P. B. (1989). Brief psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorders. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 57(5), 607; Haley, J. (1963). Strategies of psychotherapy; Wolberg, L. R. (1948). Medical hypnosis, Vol. 2. The practice of hypnotherapy; Zeig, J. K., & Munion, W. (1990). What is psychotherapy?: Contemporary perspectives. Jossey-Bass).
 * 2) Hypnotherapy benefits are not placebo, they are cognitive, neurological and therapeutic: Barnier, A. J., & McConkey, K. M. (2003). Hypnosis, human nature, and complexity: Integrating neuroscience approaches into hypnosis research. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 51(3), 282-308; Bernheim, H. (1964). Hypnosis & suggestion in psychotherapy: a treatise on the nature and uses of hypnotism. Tr. from the 2d rev. University Books; Eimer, B. N., & Freeman, A. (1998). Pain management psychotherapy: A practical guide. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Wolberg, L. R. (1948). Medical hypnosis, Vol. 2. The practice of hypnotherapy; Walters, C., & Havens, R. A. (1993). Hypnotherapy for health, harmony, and peak performance: Expanding the goals of psychotherapy. Psychology Press).
 * 3) Hypnotherapy applications are used in a clinical setting for psychotherapy and counselling, not for stage hypnosis and hypnosurgery: Brom, D., Kleber, R. J., & Defares, P. B. (1989). Brief psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorders. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 57(5), 607; Guthrie, E., & Whorwell, P. J. (2002). Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy in IBS. Irritable bowel syndrome: diagnosis and treatment. London7 WB Saunders; Haley, J. (1963). Strategies of psychotherapy; O'Neill, L. M., Barnier, A. J., & McConkey, K. (1999). Treating anxiety with self‐hypnosis and relaxation. Contemporary Hypnosis, 16(2), 68-80; Wolberg, L. R. (1948). Medical hypnosis, Vol. The practice of hypnotherapy; Zeig, J. K., & Munion, W. (1990). What is psychotherapy?: Contemporary perspectives. Jossey-Bass.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Arthurmarx (talk • contribs) 17:36, 1 August 2017 (UTC)


 * Very quickly, just to address the third point: Stage hypnosis is not mentioned as an application of hypnotherapy, it is listed as an application of hypnosis. Template:Hypnosis lists four applications of hypnosis, including hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis, and these four are at the same "level", thematically, below hypnosis. The Hypnosis infobox template is a summary of topics related to hypnosis, and it belongs on article pages for all those topics. --bonadea contributions talk 18:48, 1 August 2017 (UTC)

Existing Tone is Skeptical
The article as I found it reads as written by a skeptic. The quoted efficacy studies seem to cite principally negative results. The section on "Uses" is - I am sorry to need to be blunt - absurd, giving far more weight to vague motivations than to the "specific issues" cited in the opening. Of course, those vague feelings are more positively described as related to the self-esteem, motivation, and confidence that are critical to overall contentment and personal efficacy. I will attempt to address this in my next series of edits. — Preceding unsigned comment added by BrianBalke (talk • contribs) 14:45, 18 August 2020 (UTC)


 * "The quoted efficacy studies seem to cite principally negative results" - Yes. That's what happens when something does not work. What is the problem here? --Hob Gadling (talk) 06:51, 15 September 2020 (UTC)

I removed some text from the page and rewrote other text
Hello! I made some edits to the page. You can see them here: https://sigma.toolforge.org/usersearch.py?name=Nyeogmi&page=Hypnotherapy&server=enwiki&max=.

Basically, this is a mix of "removing self-promotional stuff" and "rewriting paragraphs where the editor uncritically used a model that only the person they are writing about appears to be a proponent of."

(EDIT: Can any of you find anything on the "London School of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy"? One of the most dubious claims on the page is made by someone who claims to have been in charge of it. I can't find anything about it anywhere online, except in text written by this guy about himself, but I'm not entirely convinced it's fake.)

Nyeogmi (talk) 02:58, 30 May 2021 (UTC)